Review of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) by Dan D — 02 Oct 2008

I'm in a RIP Paul Newman mode and having watched a great doco on him the other night, I plan to see more of his movies as he was a mighty fine talent....

This movie - was amazing. He's an absolutely spectacular looking man, and a brilliant actor. His performance of a tortured man is honest and real - and what he puts his estranged wife (cat - Maggie) through is deeply sad in parts. The family's pressure on Maggie to fix it is also very confronting as she has only herself to lean on.

One line from the movie I can't forget is when he's fighting with his Father "Big Daddy" (Burl Ives) about his obsession with booze and while screaming ensues and gets louder in this Southern tale - he says to his Dad with such sad raw clarity that he drinks until there is a click in his brain, and I think a lot of people drink or consume whatever to feel that "click".

The movie version was dumbed down as in Tennessee's play - Brick was a poof - but hey - it was the late 50s and they allude to it as best as possible. Interesting side note - Paul and his wife Joanne Woodward were very good friends with Tennessee, since he was pink and all...

I chuckled through many parts where the weasely Brother "Gooper" and his sssssucky wife are subjected to logical mean taunts by Brick, Maggie and Big Daddy...

Great movie. Oh, and of course - Elizabeth's performance. Today's chicks have nothing on her - oh - maybe Lindsay Lohan (bless La Lohan¦..).